Basildon Hospital visiting rules stop woman seeing nan

Sarah Bryden is not allowed to visit 84-year-old Jean Donogue at Basildon Hospital, as patients are only allowed one named visitor because of Covid restrictions.

The 32-year-old Benfleet resident’s sister has been visiting every day – but hospital policy means Ms Bryden cannot see her nan, even on days when her sister does not visit.

Her grandmother, who was widowed 11 years ago, has been on Florence Nightingale Ward since falling ill two weeks ago two weeks ago. According to Ms Bryden doctors have told the family she “doesn’t have that long and is deteriorating”.

Ms Bryden said: “I think it is totally and utterly wrong, why is this policy still in place when Covid rules have been relaxed by the Government?

“The hospital say the only time that I can come up there is when she is on her ‘death bed’, otherwise we can’t go up as a group. It’s ridiculous.”

“Even if my sister didn’t visit on a day, I’m still not allowed as they are only allowed the same person to visit, which is my sister.”

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Basildon Hospital, only allows patients to have one named visitor onto a ward at any one time. 

A patient must have the same visitor each day, limited to one hour a day. That visitor must book in advance and wear a surgical facemask.

Where patients are entering their last days of life, two visitors can be with them at any one time.

“It’s not right at all, surely, they can’t keep me from seeing her. I think it’s disgusting,” Ms Bryden said.

She says her whole family has been left “very upset” by the situation.

“My sister has a husband and three kids who want to visit. My husband wants to see her too. There are a lot of us who are being kept out of the hospital,” she added.

“It’s terrible. I just want to see my nan. I haven’t seen her for a while, yet I’m not allowed to visit until she’s on her bed and dying.”

The visiting policy for Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust can be found at www.mse.nhs.uk